Suffering Together
"People of Zion, dwelling in Jerusalem, you shall no longer weep; ...with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, And your ears shall hear a word behind you: 'This is the way; walk in it'” (Isaiah 30:19-21)
Click here for the daily readings.
"People of Zion, dwelling in Jerusalem, you shall no longer weep; ...with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, And your ears shall hear a word behind you: 'This is the way; walk in it'” (Isaiah 30:19-21)
Click here for the daily readings.
These readings move our attention from the future to the present. The promise that our weeping will not last forever, allows us now to weep. But we are not weeping alone or abandoned; we are safely dwelling in the Lord.
"Blessed are all who wait on the Lord." (Responsorial Psalm)
Notice the present tense… blessed NOW… blessed in the wait, blessed in the suffering, blessed in the pain. The Greek word used here for wait is 'chakah', and it means “to adhere to, to await.” God is with us while we wait; this is why we are blessed. We are blessed when we adhere to the Lord while we wait for Him to act. We are not waiting for Him to show up, for He already has. Adhering means “to stay cling, to cleave, to stay attached.”
“The cross is not a punishment, it is a consolation. The saints have understood this. That is why they are attached to it.” (St. Peter Julian Eymard, A Thought Per Day)
"Blessed are you who are now weeping…" (Luke 6:21)
Waiting with the Lord, attached to His Cross. This is where we receive the gift of hope, a hope that does not disappoint. This hope allows us to weep, to cry out, to mourn. For we know He is listening, for we trust He is with us.
What is our heart's response to the words from St. Peter Julian, "The cross is not a punishment, it is a consolation"? What is God's response?
Lord, let me see you through the tears. Let me know your presence. Amen.
Ivonne Hernandez is a Catholic wife, mother, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, and President of Elisheba House. She is also a speaker and writer, and a member of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Ivonne and her husband, who have three young adult sons, reside in Trinity, FL, where they serve as coordinators for the OCIA program at their parish, St. Peter the Apostle.
